1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to furniture construction, and, in particular, to a furniture leg including anchoring means for attaching the leg to an upholstered piece of furniture.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
Furniture builders require means to attach legs to the underside of an upholstered piece of furniture, such as a chair. Well-known solutions for this problem include nails, screws, bolts, and the like. However, prior art solutions typically require the drilling of starter holes for the various screws, etc., and prior art solutions frequently tear the upholstered fabric on the furniture during attachment of legs to the furniture.
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of prior art anchoring means as used to attach a "Queen Anne" style front leg 10 to a piece of furniture 12 (partially shown) having a frame 14. A front corner 16 of frame 14 typically has a bracket 18 affixed thereto, and a threaded stud 20, extending upwardly from leg 10, is threadedly received into an internally threaded nut 22. Leg 10 is turned about the axis of threaded stud 20 to cause threaded stud 20 to engage with nut 22 and draw leg 10 to frame 14. Once leg 10 has been drawn adjacent frame 14, screws 24 are screwingly inserted through holes 26 in leg 10 and into frame 14, thereby preventing leg 10 from turning about the axis of stud 20. A cup-shaped washer 28 is often placed on stud 20 between leg 10 and frame 14.
FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of prior art anchoring means as used to attach a rear leg 30 to the frame 14 of the piece of furniture 12. Such rear legs typically have an upwardly-extending non-threaded stud 32 that is received into bracket 34, with bracket 34 being previously secured to frame 14, and a plurality of screws 36 are used to anchor leg 30 to bracket 34 and frame 14.
FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of another prior art "Queen Anne" style front leg 38, attached to a frame 40, where an internally-threaded insert 42 replaces nut 22, with insert 42 having downwardly-extending teeth 44. As with the leg 10 shown in FIG. 1, leg 38 is turned about the axis of its upwardly-extending threaded stud 46 so as to engage threaded stud 46 with threaded insert 42 and draw leg 38 against frame 40, and then leg 38 is secured to frame 40 as by screws 48.
These prior art furniture legs, however, require that starter holes be drilled into the frame of the furniture for the screws 24, 36, and 48, thereby causing extra labor steps in the attachment of the furniture leg to the furniture, and also requiring extra tools, namely, a drill and a screwdriver. The prior art furniture legs shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 also have a distinct disadvantage in that, as they are turned about the axis of their stud, sharp edges on the upper surface of the furniture leg tend to rip and tear the upholstery fabric 50 on the furniture, thereby causing the furniture to be ruined and necessitating the replacement of the upholstery.
It is therefore desirable to have a simpler and improved furniture leg in combination with anchoring means that permits the furniture leg to be attached to furniture without requiring the drilling of starter holes in the frame of the furniture and without tearing the upholstery of the furniture.
A preliminary patentability search in Class 312, subclass 351.3 and Class 248, subclass 188, produced the following patents, some of which may be relevant to the present invention: Alexander, U.S. Pat. No. 196,413, issued Oct. 23, 1877; Tobey, U.S. Pat. No. 835,582, issued Nov. 13, 1906; Buchberger, U.S. Pat. No. 1,372,061, issued Mar. 22, 1921; Perlmutter, U.S. Pat. No. 2,886,388, issued May 12, 1959; Blackwood, U.S. Pat. No. 3,516,633, issued Jun. 23, 1970; and Giltnane, U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,711, issued Oct. 29, 1985. None of these references disclose or suggest the present invention.